Knotting device for grain-binders.



No. 686,824. Patented Nov. l9, 190i.

R. F. MILLER.

KNOTTING DEVICE FOR GRAIN BINDERS.

(Application filed x. 12, 1901.)

(No Model.)

mums PETERS co. PHQTOJ mo WASHXNGYON n c INITE STATES ATENI FFICE.

KNOTTING DEVICE FOR GRAI N-BI NDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,824, dated November 19, 1901.

Application filed March 12, 1901. fierial No. 50,784. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD FRANCIS MIL- LER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Franklin Grove, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Knotting Devices for Grain-Binders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to knotting devices for grain-binders, and pertains specially to that class wherein the knotting mechanism comprises in part a rotating jaw having a knotter-hook pivoted therein and adapted to engage the same, a contact between such hook and jaw being assured during a portion of each revolution of such jaw by means of the engagement of an antifriction roller on the heel of the knotter-hook with a spring-cam attached to the frame of the machine. In devices of this class as heretofore constructed there have been defects, which I seek to remedy by my invention, the improvements which I claim being more easily pointed out after the mechanism comprising my invention has been fully described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view of my device in perspective. Fig. 2 is also a perspective, giving another view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the knot-tier and cams controlling the operation thereof with parts directly above the same removed.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

1 represents the frame of the machine, pro jected into a box 2, in which is journaled the shaft 3, operated through the usual gearpinion 4:. 0n the lower end of the shaft 3 is secured the knotter-jaw 5, having the knotter-hook 6 pivoted therein, as at a, such knotter-hook being provided at its rear end or heel with the antifriction-roller 7.

8 is the knotter-cam, loosely secured to the frame 1, as at b and 0, such cam being held in place by the bolt 9, secured to the frame 1 and having the nut 10 at its outer end. Between the nut 10 and cam 8 is interposed the extensile spring 11, which assists in holding the cam 8 against the frame 1. The cam 8 is provided at its free end with the camface 12.

So far as described the mechanism is old, and I claim nothing thereon except so far as it is used in connection with novel feature hereinafter set forth.

To the projection 13 of frame 1 is secured the plate 14, the free end of which supports an eXtensile spring 15, the upper end of the spring 15 engaging a projection 16 on the lower face of the cam 8.

17 is an auxiliary cam provided with a sector cam-face 18, the cam 17 being rigidly secured to the frame 1 by means of the bolt 19, Fig. 1, passing through the perforation 20 in such cam and through the frame 1 and pro- Vided with the nut 21.

In operation when the knotter mechanism is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the knot has been formed in the binding-twine and the twine cut, the ends thereof being held between the knotter-j aw and hook while the loop is drawn over the end of the jaw. It is necessary that the ends of the twine be held tightly until the knot is completed, for if either end thereof slips from between the jaws before that result is obtained the bundle of grain will leave the machine in an unbound state. The contact of the jaw 5 and hook 6 at this point in the operation is dependent upon the perfect action of the roller 7 and cam 8. In machines as heretofore constructed without the spring 15 and cam 17 this action has been sufficient when the machine was new; but in time the constant and repeated pounding of the roller 7 upon the cam-face 12 weakened the action of the spring 11 until the cam 8 failed to give a proper support to the roller 7, and the jaw 5 and hook 6 became slightly separated. The constant friction also wore the cam 8 at the points of support thereof, permitting it to drop slightly downward, detracting still further from its successful operation. It was intended that at each revolution of the jaw 5 the free end of the hook 6 should pass under the cam-face 12, and this was usually assured by one of the strands of twine for the next succeeding knot passing over the top of the hook 6, retaining such hook in contact with a knotterjaw until the ends thereof had passed beneath such cam-face; but it frequently happened that such twine would become torn or broken or would run out, in which case, the roller end of the hook being the heavier, such hook would rise and, instead of passing under the cam-face 12, strike against it, wearing a path lengthwise thereof and also wearing the end of the hook 6. By this means the wear upon the cam 8 and weakening thereof was greatly hastened. Especially in machines for heavier work, such as corn-binders, the repeated attacks of the roller 7 and hook 5 upon the cam-face soon rendered the tying mechauism practically useless. There was also considerable Wear of the roller 7 upon its pintle and of the hook 6 at its pivotal point, the latter being occasioned largely through the defective operation of such hook. The weakness of the spring 11 could be remedied by a tightening thereof; but each contraction thereof tended to weaken and finally destroy its flexibility, and thus impair one of the necessary elements of the cam 8. It is apparent that the purpose of providing the spring 15 is to reinforce the action of the spring 11, and especially to sustain the cam Sagainst a tendency thereof to drop downward, as hereinbefore mentioned. By the use of the cam 17 the roller 7 instead of dropping after leaving the cam-face 12 is supported by the cam-face 18 until after the end of the hook 6 has passed beneath the outer end of the cam-face 12, doing away with any possibility of the end of the hook striking against such cam-face. The use of the spring 15 and cam 17 not only does away-With a great deal of the wear on difierout parts of the knotter mechanism, but also in case there should be any such wear compensates therefor and provides for a perfect and positive operation of the parts even after such parts become worn.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a knotting device for grain-binders, the combination with a frame, a shaft journaled therein, a jaw carried by the shaft, a hook pivoted to the jaw and provided with a roller-heel, a cam yieldably connected to the frame and located in the path of the roller, a lateral spring pressing the cam toward the shaft and a supplementary spring pressing the cam upwardly, substantially as described.

2. In a knotting device for grain-binders, the combination with the frame, a shaft journaled therein, a jaw carried by the shaft, a hook pivoted to the jaw and provided with a roller-heel, a main cam yieldably connected to the frame and located in the path of the roller, a supplementary cam rigidly mounted on the frame to receive the roller after it passes from the main cam and hold it elevated to insure the hook passing beneath the main cam, a lateral spring pressing the main cam toward the shaft, and a supplementary spring pressing the main cam upwardly;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD FRANCIS MILLER.

Witnesses:

'I. L. VVEAVER,

F. A. GOULD. 

